Silence
by Strawberry4evr
Summary: An incident that occurred in 1959 has rendered Edward mute. But when a mysterious, silent-minded girl stumbles into his life, will he speak again? (Warning: Heavier references to child abuse in the third chapter)
1. Chapter 1

"Emmett, please," Edward muttered for the tenth time. Carlisle looked up the stairs to see two of his three sons meet at the top, glaring at each other.

"If you don't like what you see, stay out of my head," Emmett growled.

Carlisle went back to his seat beside Esme, his other son, and both his daughters. The girls rolled their eyes as the boys began arguing; this happened at least twice a week, and almost always ended with a fight.

"Stop it!" They heard Emmett shout, and suddenly Edward was tumbling down the stairs, despite being a vampire, unable to correct his footing. He landed on his back at the end, his feet sliding off the bottom step with a soft thud.

It took everyone a moment to notice how Edward had taken the fall, as his reaction was so unexpected. He didn't get up, but instead covered his face with trembling hands, and began to respirate heavier with each passing breath.

Emmett, confused and concerned for his brother, fearing he might have actually been hurt, began to descend the stairs, but as he did so the top one creaked. Edward's eyes flashed open, and he began to slide himself further away from his aproaching brother. But he only managed to back himself into a wall. He watched Emmett coming closer with wide, panicked eyes before pulling his knees to his chest and hiding his face in them.

Still confused, Emmett tried to put a consoling hand on his brother's shoulder, only to pull it back as Edward flinched away. "It's happening again," Edward sobbed into his knees, and the light bulb flickered on above Carlisle Cullen's head.

"Emmett, step back," He ordered, walking slowly closer to Edward. Emmett did as he was told, and walked away to sit next to Esme in Carlisle's former place.

"Edward," Carlisle murmured, reaching out to his first son. Edward looked up and saw, not the man he thought to be there, but Carlisle, the man who took him in, and had helped him through a very large and prominent part of his existence.

A sob escaped his lips as he slid down the wall until he was lying on his side on the polished floor. Tearless, pain ridden sobs wracked Edward's frame, and he stayed this way, until Carlisle gently picked him up and carried him to his room.

An hour later Edward was still lying on the couch in his room, with Carlisle sitting on the floor beside him. "They want an explanation," Carlisle guessed, and watched as his son nodded slightly. Not a word or sound had passed between the two until this moment, as the 'tears' had stopped long ago. "Will you allow me to give them one?"

Again Edward nodded, aware of what his father was implying. But Carlisle made no move to get up, seeing the pain in his son's eyes. "Would you be willing to talk to your mother about this?" He asked gently. "She has been through a similar experience."

Edward shook his head, and Carlisle didn't blame him. Yes, Esme has been in a situation that was similar in definition, but not similar in any way in reality. "Shall I tell them now?" Carlisle inquired, and watched as Edward tilted his head down slightly, and kept it that way.

A nod.

This lack of response worried Carlisle deeply, but he stood from his place on the floor and quietly made his way down the stairs that Edward had the misfortune to be pushed down not an hour before. "Carlisle," Everyone breathed as he came into view. "What happened?"

"Just a fall," Carlisle replied, "It's the memories that have come with the fall that are causing his pain."

"What memories?" Alice inquired, worried for he favourite brother.

Carlisle sighed. "Before I turned him, Edward was very heavily abused by his father, and unfortunately this was mostly because he was trying to stop his father hitting his mother. It deeply wounded him that whenever he stopped his mother being beaten, or he was just beaten himself, his mother made no move to stop his father. He once told me that his father took the carpet off the stairs just so it would be more painful for him and his mother if his father ever wanted to push them down them."

Emmett's eyes lit with guilt and pain for his brother. "I have to tell him I'm sorry," He cried, jumping up, but Carlisle stopped him.

"Don't. Edward's in a very fragile state right now, and seeing you might make it worse," Carlisle's voice was firm, and Emmett felt almost forced to sit back down.

Days passed, and Edward didn't come out of his room. The days became a week, and finally he stepped outside. "Edward!" Alice exclaimed, as her favourite brother carefully descended the stairs. "You're eyes a pitch black! Do you want to come hunting with Jasper and I?"

Edward stared at her blankly, not speaking or making any movement, but not ignoring her. Instead he walked outside and into the forest. "Why did he ignore me?" Alice asked Carlisle, who sat on the couch behind her.

"Don't be worried," Carlisle smiled at his daughter. "It's a defense mechanism that I've seen many times before. He's afraid to speak in case he says something wrong and he is hurt again; him walking outside was a way of showing you that he would like to hunt, but whether you accompany him is your choice. It will wear off, don't worry."

Over fifty years passed and still Edward hadn't spoken. His siblings felt cut off from him, and his parents worried for him daily. For almost ten years Carlisle tried to reassure everyone that it would wear off, but by the fifteenth year he gave up, worrying for his son just as much as the others.

The teachers at his schools were told he suffered from post traumatic stress disorder, and refused to speak, which in a way was true. He was never asked questions in class, and never had to speak.

A new girl was starting their current school, and his siblings hoped that something would make him happy enough to speak. They watched Edward as he he watched the girl - Bella Swan - as she entered the cafeteria. No emotion passed across his face, and as Jasper slumped back in his seat they knew his emotions hadn't changed at all.

But Edward still watched the girl, and soon realised he couldn't read her thoughts. For the briefest of moments he considered voicing this discovery to his siblings, but quickly thought against it as Emmett spoke to him. "See anything you like?"

Edward glanced at him, but otherwise didn't reply to his brother. The bell rang and Edward dismally made his way to bioligy. Soon after the new girl came in, and as she walked passed her scent hit like a ton of bricks. She sat next to him, and he glared at her. To him she was satan himself, or herself, he guessed, here to tempt him and make him fail in his endeavour to be as good as Carlisle.

He lasted the hour, and when it ended, he did the only thing he could do.

He ran.

But he didn't just run to his car; he didn't just run home; he ran all the way Denali, and stayed with his cousins. Alice had seen his decision and the Denalis were prewarned with a phone call from a very concerned Esme.

During his stay, the Denalis all tried to get Edward to speak. But their efforts were in vain, for Edward was so wrapped up his thoughts he barely even noticed what was going on around him. He couldn't get the girl out of his mind, her scent, her deep brown eyes, her silent mind.

There was something different about this girl, and he was going to find out what.

A week later, he was sat in bioligy waiting for the girl to arrive. She was one of the last, and her scent saturated the room immediately, making him wince. It scorched his throat but as she sat next to him his resolve hardened. Swallowing convulsively, he took a deep breath and uttered the first words he had spoken in over half a century.

"Hi, I'm Edward Cullen."


	2. Chapter 2

The Cullen children heard every word, as they had been listening out for any signs of Edward's control breaking. Jasper and Emmett, who were sharing that class at that time, glanced at each other in wonder. This simple, sweet smelling, human girl had managed to get their brother to speak.

They met him in the car, half expecting him to speak. He didn't though, so neither did they. They watched and listened as he spoke to the girl, however, savouring the sound of his voice. Then he saved her life, and exposed them.

He spoke to his family then, arguing with them, defending the girl he was learning to love, and he never stopped. Edward never went silent again.

Then the girl worked out their secret, and Edward argued with Rosalie, laughing at her thoughts as she snarled at him. But inside she was smiling, revelling in the sound of her brother's laugh.

None were more relieved than Carlisle and Esme though, so when Edward brought her home for the first time they welcomed her like she was already one of their own. Bella was loved for saving their loneliest and most broken family member, and completing them all.

Bella may never know this, but when she stumbled into their loves the Cullens didn't just gain a sister, but they regained a brother too.


	3. Chapter 3

"This is so unfair! This is so unfair!" Renesmee screamed, stomping around the cottage.

"Renesmee," Bella said sternly. "Stop that." Her daughter turned to her slowly.

"I hate you!" Nessie screamed at her mother. "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!"

Bella flinched in shock. Edward frowned and grabbed his daughter by the arm. "Apologise."

"No!" Nessie shouted at her father. "I hate you too!"

In a moment of complete anger, Edward raised his hand so it became level with his head. However, before he could bring it down to hit his daughter, he realised what he was doing. He had raised his hand enough that Nessie could see his intentions, and Edward cringed as she flinched visibly although she had not been struck.

Lowering his hand, he let go of Renesmee. He stumbled back in horror, staring at his wife and daughter with pain in his eyes. "No..." Edward whispered, horror lacing his tone. He looked up at Bella one last time before muttering:

"I'm_ him_."

Bella, having been informed of Edward's unfortunate past by Edward, Alice and even Carlisle, was quick to reassure him. "No, Edward, you're not-"

But it didn't matter; he was already gone. "Momma," Nessie whined, tears in her eyes. "Daddy was going to hit me."

On the brink of dry sobbing, Bella knelt down so she could look her daughter in the eye. "But he didn't," She said firmly. "That is the important thing to remember. He is very upset with himself right now, and we have to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid before it's too late."

Nessie nodded, and then looked up at her mother again. "What did Daddy mean by 'I'm him'."

"I'll let him tell you the details, sweetheart," Bella sighed. "But when Daddy was your age, and when he was much older, his Daddy hit him. Now I'm going to call Grampa Carlisle, and make sure we find Daddy. You know how stupid he can be."

"Will we see Daddy again?"

A small sob escaped Bella's lips as she stared at her crying daughter. Finally she pulled her into a hug and said, "I hope so, sweetheart. I really hope so."

Not ten minutes later Bella was running into the main house with a crying Nessie in her arms. "Is Edward here?" She immediately demanded, relieved to see Carlisle sitting among the family in the cream living room.

"No..." Rosalie answered, taking Renesmee off Bella and drying her eyes. "What's happened?"

"Daddy was going to hit me," Renesmee whimpered, resting her head on her aunt's shoulder. A collective gasp went around the room.

"He _hit _her?!" Emmett didn't even try to conceal his rage. "After everything he went through as a child, he hit his own daughter?!"

"No," Bella snapped at her brother, who leaned back a small amount. "He was _going_ to. He raised his hand but realised what he was doing before he lowered it to her. He was horrified, and he stepped back from us. He ran, but not before he said 'I'm him'."

"Do you know where he went?" Carlisle asked immediately.

Bella pursed her lips. "He went west, towards the La Push border."

Carlisle, Alice, Emmett and Jasper all shot up from their seats, heading towards the cottage. From there they picked up his scent, and then went west, begging silently that he had not crossed the border. Bella, Rosalie and Esme had all stayed at home with Nessie.

They found him about half an hour later, sitting cross legged - quite literally - on the border line. A black wolf was watching him intently, daring him to edge closer. And as soon as Edward saw his family, he did just that.

The wolf pounced, but before his teeth could get anywhere near Edward's skin, he was being thrown backwards. The wolf got up quickly and found Edward to be once again on the other side of the treaty line in the firm hold of the older blond vampire.

"No," Edward muttered, fighting against his father to get to the treaty line. He didn't want death, per se, just to be hurt in some way. Maybe then he could atone for his sins. "Let me go! Let me go!"

"No, son," Carlisle almost growled, hissing as Edward manged to escape his hold. He didn't get far, however, as Emmett darted forward at the last second, pulling his younger brother away from the wolf watching them by his ankle.

Edward was frantic as he tried to get away from them. The problem was, he wasn't seeing his father and siblings, he was seeing his father. Everywhere. "Son!" Carlisle said, more firmly this time. Only now did Edward see Carlisle as himself.

"He was right," He sobbed, clinging to Carlisle as he pulled him into an embrace. "I'm a disgrace and a disappointment. I'm nothing but a stupid mistake born of rape. I grew up to be just like him. He was right. He was right."

As he sobbed, the other Cullens looked at each other in shock. It seemed that Edward had not only gone under heavy physical abuse, but emotional and verbal abuse as well. "Edward," Carlisle muttered, holding his son to him. "He was not right. You are not him."

"I am-" Edward began, but Carlisle cut him off.

"Did you hit Renesmee?"

"No, but-"

"Will you ever hit her or hurt her on purpose?"

"No, but-"

"Do you feel remorse that you almost hit her?"

"Of course, but-"

"Exactly Edward," Carlisle breathed. "You are not him. If you were him, you would have hit her. And then you would have hit her again. And again. And again. And you would feel no remorse. The fact that you are prepared to hurt yourself, or worse, get yourself _killed_ over the fact you _almost hit her_, speaks volumes about the differences between you and your father."

Seeing that his son had lost almost all his energy, Carlisle gently lifted Edward into his arms. The other children flinched - Emmett the most violently - as they remembered the last time Carlisle had done that. They hoped the outcome wasn't the same this time - Nessie needed her father.

The girls gasped as Carlisle entered the house. "Daddy!" Nessie cried as she ran up to her father, still being held be Carlisle.

"Sshh, sweetheart," Carlisle murmured. "Daddy can't talk right now."

When Carlisle reached Edward's room, he lowered his onto his couch. He knew Edward wouldn't appreciate being placed on the one piece of furniture in the house that was most saturated with his daughter's scent. "Please don't be silent again," Carlisle whispered as he gently stroked his son's hair. "Renesmee needs her father. Bella needs her husband. Esme and I need our son. The others need their brother."

An hour later Carlisle wondered back down the stairs. When he reached the bottom he stared back up the wooden steps. "It's a different staircase," Esme said, coming to stand behind her husband.

"And an entirely different situation," Carlisle agreed, turning to gently kiss his wife. "But I'm afraid the outcome will be the same."

"So am I," Esme whispered, and the rest of the children followed their gaze up the stairs, where Edward's erratic breathing could be heard. Poor Renesmee has cried herself to sleep after her father didn't speak to her.

Later in the night, as all the grown ups were engaged in deep conversation about the days events, Renesmee woke. Without even her mother noticing, she slowly slipped up the stairs and into her father's room. "Daddy?" She whispered, walking over to him with a grace no normal one year old could ever possess. Slowly she pulled his arm until he complied and stood. When he did she tugged him over to the bed in the middle of the room.

Even through the haze of his desolation and confusion as to why his daughter would ever want to be around him again, Edward's paternal instincts forced him to recognise that his daughter wanted him to lie down on the bed, and that because of the bed's height, his daughter would need lifting to lie on it too.

When Renesmee was happily sitting on the bed next to her father - who was staring off into space like he was suffering a great pain - she gently reached out and hugged him. He stiffened, but she didn't let go. Settling to lie on his chest, Renesmee began to fall asleep. "You didn't hit me, Daddy," She whispered. "You're not him. You're the best Daddy in the world. He wasn't a good Daddy."

Then she fell asleep, but Edward did hear the mumbled "I'm glad I never got to know him." Before she did.

"Where's Nessie?" Jacob demanded as he strode into the house, ignoring the smell as best he could. He glanced around the room, noticing the other person missing. "Don't tell me she's with that monster."

The family had only just noticed that she was missing as Jacob said it. They looked around the room frantically for a minute before listening out and hearing her steady heartbeat coming from Edward's room. Her breathing was in the pattern of sleep, and the were relieved to hear that Edward's breathing was calm at last.

Then they all registered what Jacob had said. Rage filled all of them at the mutt's description of their family, even Carlisle and Esme. It was Carlisle who realised that Jacob must have found out from Sam, who stuck around long enough to catch on to what Edward was so upset about.

Before anyone else could react, Bella reared up and punched Jacob square in the jaw.

As she was still a newborn, and she hadn't held back much, they all heard his jaw _shatter_. Before he could fall Bella seized the front of his shirt and brought his face level with hers, ignoring the blood dribbling from his mouth. "Listen here, _mutt,_" She growled, and the other Cullens watched in awe as she continued. "I have tolerated the fact you imprinted on my daughter after lusting after me for almost two years. I have tolerated the most irritating nickname of all time. But I _will not_ tolerate you talking about my mate in any negative way. You may be her imprint, or stalker or whatever you are, but he is her _father._ He would never hurt her."

Just as she said this, Nessie's crying sounded from upstairs. Throwing the dog to the ground, Bella ran up the stairs with Carlisle hot on her heels as they heard Renesmee whimper, "No, Daddy don't hurt me. Please don't hurt me!"

Jacob made a move to get up, but Emmett pulled him back down. "Oh no you don't."

When they entered Edward's room, it was a sight to behold. Renesmee was lying on top of the quilt, twisting and turning as she was unable to escape from her nightmare. Edward was across the room, rocking back and forth as he whimpered in pain. Bella went to her daughter as Carlisle went to his son.

Bella managed to wake Nessie with little fuss. When she woke she twisted out of her mother's arms and ran across the room to her father's, practically pushing Carlisle out the way. "I was dreaming I was you," Nessie whispered. "Your Daddy was hurting me. You're not him. You'll never be him." Edward stared at his daughter in shock as she spoke again. "Don't go quiet like Uncle Jasper said you did last time. I need you."

Taking a deep breath, Edward pulled his daughter closer before whispering in a reverent tone, "Thank you."


	4. Chapter 4

**This just came to me while I was watching The Book Thief. I don't know why I thought of it, but I somehow managed to link it to this story. I hope you enjoy it. **

Edward sighed as he tried and failed to work out the word in front of him. He was over a century old; it shouldn't be hard, and yet he still found it hard to read some words, especially ones he hadn't seen or heard before. This hadn't happened in a very long time, and it wasn't the same as before. Before, it was just Carlisle, or sometimes Esme, in the house, and he wasn't ashamed to ask them.

But now, his wife, adult daughter, his son-in-law and all four of his siblings were in the house. They would all hear him if he asked, but he didn't know the next time he and his parents would be alone. It would look suspicious if he dragged one of them out of the house, if only for a couple of minutes.

Reaching out with his talent, he found his daughter watching her husband and uncle wrestle in the back garden. His wife and sisters were all laughing in the front room, sometimes watching the match outside through the large windows. Jasper, Esme and Carlisle were silently reading in their father's study, while Edward read in his room.

Biting back his nerves and panic, he decides it might not be that bad if his family know that he finds it extremely hard to read and write. Jasper at least would understand, Rosalie wouldn't care, Alice would try to teach him, Emmett would tease him for a while then get bored, Jacob would probably tease him as well, and Bella and Nessie wouldn't change. Their view of him wouldn't change, either.

Rising from his seat on the sofa in his and Bella's room, he clutches the book to his chest before walking to Carlisle's office. Raising his hand, he waits and tries to slow his nervous breathing before knocking softly on the door. "Come in," His father calls, giving him courage.

"Carlisle?" He whispers, walking up to his father's desk. Esme hops down from where she sits facing her husband on the desk, and smiles at her son. Jasper looks over at him curiously as he shuts the door, and Carlisle pulls the ribbon between the pages he is reading in his book before closing it. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," His father smiles warmly, sitting back in his chair. Knowing Carlisle will understand, he simply holds out the book, pointing to the word. The blond nods in understanding, before saying, "Advantageous. It means creating better circumstances that make the chance of success bigger."

Edward nods, looking at his father for a moment before pointing to another word. "Endeavour," Carlisle tells him, "It means to try." Nodding, the younger vampire begins shaking as he extends his arms to point to another word. He knows this word is simple; he knows he should know it, and he knows that when Carlisle says it out loud that Jasper will know what he's been struggling with and that will make it ten times worse. "It's okay, son," Carlisle reassures him, rubbing his wrist gentlyy. "Scheme," He says quietly, and Edward's lips tremble as a stinging feeling irritates his eyes. This is humiliating, having to ask his father how to pronounce a simple word in front of his brother, especially when the entire family can hear. All conversation and noise had stopped in an effort to hear what was going on in the office.

"Oh honey," Esme sighs as a choking noise comes from the back of Edward's throat. She pulls him into a soft embrace, and he begins to cry quietly into the soft cotton covering her shoulder. Carlisle rubs his back consolingly and leads Edward to the chair in front of his desk. Esme sits on the arm of the chair while Carlisle kneels before his son, concern in his eyes. Jasper tries to concentrate on his book.

He tries.

"Why didn't you tell us you were struggling?" Esme inquires, brushing her son's hair out of his eyes. Edward just shakes his head, trying and failing to control his breathing.

"I'm so stupid," He finally whimpers, covering his face with his hands.

"No, Edward," Carlisle groans, exchanging a worried glance with his wife, Jasper long forgotten. "It's not your fault. I should have continued your lessons at home instead of just sending you to school."

"You were busy with Esme," Edward argues, sighing. "And then Rosalie, when she was changed, and then Emmett. I never wanted lessons around either of them in the first place. This is so humiliating."

"Alice couldn't remember any of her schooling," Esme reminds him soothingly. "It would have been fine with them, they would have understood if they knew. Like they did with her."

"Yeah, but she doesn't struggle anymore, does she?!" He exclaims, still not looking up. "She doesn't struggle anymore, and for God's sake I'm older than her and I remember my human life!"

"Some people learn faster than others," Carlisle murmurs. "And me abandoning your education certainly didn't help. I'm sorry for that."

Edward groans again, and Jasper attempts to calm him, but his brother can't be calmed as a new wave of humiliation hits him. "I can't believe my daughter knows I can't read."

"You can read," Carlisle says firmly, grabbing his son's wrists. "You just struggle, and that's not your fault. I'm surprised you managed to hide it."

"Well you were the only one who saw my grades."

"A C is nothing to be ashamed of."

"I barely passed."

Carlisle sighs. It was true. Edward was barely passing his English classes. But they needn't worry about that now; they had the entire summer ahead of them. "Let's go downstairs," Carlisle suggests. "If you want a lesson now it might be easier to concentrate; there's better lighting, and other people to help you."

"Okay," Edward concedes, and together they go and sit next to each other at the dining room table. With him, Carlisle has the book Edward was showing him, and the small journal that Edward used to use a dictionary. Edward smiles as he spots it.

"Carlisle!" They hear, and Edward looks down, knowing that the rest of his family would like to know what's happening.

"Would you mind if I told them?" Carlisle asks.

"They already know about my past."

The older man takes that as a yes, and walks into the front room, where the entire family, including Nessie and Jacob, are sitting. "You know of Edward's past," He begins, instead of waiting for them to ask him to explain. "His father never allowed him to go to school. After he was changed he couldn't read, write, and he didn't know the alphabet or numbers. I taught him, but we both neglected his studies after Esme was changed, and then Rosalie came along and he didn't want lessons around her. I suspect the only reason he is letting you know now is because you know of his past. So don't tease him." The last part is blatantly directed at Jacob and Emmett, who look down in slight shame, but not enough to be acceptable for what they were planning.

No one says anything, so Carlisle steps back into the dining room and sits down. "Where were we?" He smiles, and suddenly Jasper is standing in the doorway.

"Would you mind if I sat with you?" He asks Edward, and when his brother shakes his head he sits on Edward's other side.

"Right," Carlisle says, smiling as Edward shuffles his chair closer to look at the book. Throughout the years, his son's love of learning hasn't diminished. Jasper smiles as well. "Would you mind starting this book again?"

"No," Edward answers, shuffling closer still. "Vintage Grimm," He reads, looking at the front cover. "The complete fairy tales."

"Good," Carlisle praises. "Let's skip all the notes on the book and just go straight for the first tale."

Edward nods, opening the book at the right page. "One," Edward reads, and Jasper smiles. "The frog king, or iron He-Hey-in-"

"Heinrich," Carlisle corrects, watching as his son nods in understanding before continuing.

"Heinrich," Edward repeats. "In olden times, when wishing still helped, there lived a king whose daughters were all beautiful, but the yo-yon-youngest?" Carlisle nods, Edward grins uncontrollably, and Jasper shakes his head in amazement at the pride coming from his younger brother. "But the youngest was so beautiful that the sun itself, which had seen so many things, was always filled with amazement each time it cast its rays upon her face. Now, there was a great dark forest near the king's castle, and in this forest, beneath an old... lin-line-lineden-linden! tree, was a well..."

The lesson continued in much the same way, Carlisle and Jasper praising and correcting; the rest of the family listening in. After a minute or two Edward relaxes, knowing that even if his family know, it doesn't matter, as they understand. Or at least, they don't judge him. Not even Emmett and Jacob are thinking of teasing him.

"So how much can you read?" Emmett asks later, as everyone sits in the front room. Edward grimaces before answering. This is the first anyone has spoken of what was revealed ealier in the day. The others turn to him expectantly.

"It's hard to tell," He shrugs, leaning back in his chair. "I know how to say a lot of words, but I don't know how they're all spelt so when I see them in a book I'm not sure what word they are. But other times there are some words that I've never seen before, so I can't work them out. Like earlier today with advantageous."

Emmett laughs loudly, throwing his head back. "To be fair, I've never heard that word either... So how did Carlisle find out you couldn't read?"

"That was probably the most humiliating experience of my life," Edward admits, and yet he smiles slightly. "Carlisle didn't know, so when I had enough control he sent me to school. The teacher made me write my name on the blackboard. Of course all I could write was the three crosses you write if you can't write your name. The whole class laughed and Carlisle was called in."

"That had to be tough."

"It took all my new found restraint not to tear out their throats."

The room goes stiff at this piece of information, suddenly realising why Edward has so much control. His restraint was tested from day one.

"I still don't understand how you managed to hide it," Bella whispers, sitting next to her husband and leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Fancy handwriting," He replies, kissing the top of her head. "Only using words I knew the meaning of. Pretending to read. Avoiding writing at all costs; my spelling is atrocious. Only Carlisle sees how bad my grades are, anyway. Also, you'll notcie that any book that was read to Renesmee by me was for children below ten, and not over."

"I hated those books," Nessie recalls, wrinkling her nose. Edward laughs.

"I'm sorry sweetheart."

"That's okay," Renesmee smiles, sitting at her father's feet. "I get it now."

"Thank you," He replies, kissing the top of her head too. "Thank you."


End file.
